รักเขาข้างเดียว

[farangnahrak]

I'm trying to figure out this sentence, especially the weird sticky rice idiom at the end . . .

ปีที่แล้วมีหลงมาตั้ง 1 คน แอบรักเขาข้างเดียวข้าวเหนียวนึ่งอ่ะ

My best guess is:

Last year I had a secret crush on a person. But he didn't feel the same, like sticky rice steamed on only one side.

ideas?

[Rikker]

I'd say it's just a jocular, faux-elaborate idiom, perhaps akin to เรียบร้อยโรงเรียนจีน, where even Thai people tend to puzzle over why the idiom is said the way it is. The part tacked on either rhymes or alliterates with the main phrase, but has only a tenuous semantic connection. It mimics the rhyming / alliterative style of real idioms, but in a silly way.

รักเขาข้างเดียวข้าวเหนียวนึ่ง - เดียว and เหนียว rhyme, and the semantic connection seems to be with the one person stuck to the other like sticky rice.

That is compared to เรียบร้อยโรงเรียนจีน, where the ร sounds alliterate, with the apparent implication that Chinese schools are somehow tidy in an exemplary way. Another rather silly idiom.

Just a guess.

[Peppy]

First time I've heard it too... funny idiom.

But a quick search turned up this page: http://www.thaipoem.com/forever/ipage/poem130835.html which has a poem about "one-sided love" as it were, and comment number 9, by "ยายแม่มด", has this:

ข้าวเหนียวนึ่งผิดตรงไหน ทำไมต้องเปรียบเทียบกับรักเขาข้างเดียวด้วยง่ะ

[What's wrong with steamed sticky rice? How does it compare to "one-sided love"?]

Further down, in comment number 12, the poem's author answers the question:

ที่เปรียบการรักข้างเดียวกับข้าวเหนียวนึ่งนั้นก็เพราะ ข้าวเหนียวนึ่งจะสุกได้ ต้องมีการซัดหวด หรือยกหวดขึ้นแล้วเขย่าแรง ๆ ให้ข้าวเหนียวด้านล่างกลับขึ้นมาอยู่ข้างบนเพื่อที่จะให้สุกทั่วกันทั้งสองด้านครับ

หากเราไม่กลับด้านข้าว หรือซัดข้าวแล้ว ข้าวข้างหนึ่งที่อยู่ด้านบนหวดก็จะแข็ง และข้าวข้างล่างหวดก็จะเละครับ

ข้าวหวดนั้นก็กินได้แต่ไม่อร่อย เปรียบเสมือนกับความรักที่คนสองคนมีความรู้สึกดี ๆ ให้กัน ความรักถึงจะสมบูรณ์และหอมหวานยังไงล่ะครับ

[The comparison between "one-sided love" and sticky rice comes from the fact that for sticky rice to cook, you have to "throw the steamer"--that, is pick up the steamer and give it a good shake--so that the sticky rice flips over and cooks evenly on both sides.

If you don't flip the rice over, or throw it around, the rice at the bottom of the steamer will be too hard, and the rice at the top will be too soft.

This kind of rice is edible, but doesn't taste very good--compared to a love where both sides reciprocate each other's feelings so the love is complete.]

I'm not 100% confident about my translation here, so any pointers about where I may have gone wrong are appreciated. Anyway, though, it seems your guess about the meaning of the idiom was correct--"like sticky rice steamed on only one side."

[a51mas]

The full sentence should read:

รักเขาข้างเดืยวเหมือนข้าวเหนึยวนึ่ง น้ำท่วมไม่ถึงแห้งแหงแก๋

one sided love affair is like cooking rice without (enough) water, it won't work, it takes two to tango

[tgeezer]

This last bit I can't understand; here is what I think it says;

ข้าวหวดนั้นกกินได้แต่ไม่อร่อย sticky rice which is barely edible

เปรียบเสมือนกับความรักที่คนสองคนมีความรู้สึกดี ๆ ให้กัน is partially similar or parallel (analogeous) to love in which two people have good feelings together.

ความรักถึงจะสมบูรณ์และหอมหวานยังไงล่ะครับ how can love become perfect?

This kind of rice is edible, but doesn't taste very good--compared to a love where both sides reciprocate each other's feelings so the love is complete.]

I'm not 100% confident about my translation here, so any pointers about where I may have gone wrong are appreciated. Anyway, though, it seems your guess about the meaning of the idiom was correct--"like sticky rice steamed on only one side."

Your translation is what I would expect, but I can't make it say that, there is a question at the end too. I think it would be interesting to find out how the Thai mind works in repect of this syntax.

[Peppy]

This last bit I can't understand; here is what I think it says;

ข้าวหวดนั้นกกินได้แต่ไม่อร่อย sticky rice which is barely edible

เปรียบเสมือนกับความรักที่คนสองคนมีความรู้สึกดี ๆ ให้กัน is partially similar or parallel (analogeous) to love in which two people have good feelings together.

ความรักถึงจะสมบูรณ์และหอมหวานยังไงล่ะครับ how can love become perfect?

This kind of rice is edible, but doesn't taste very good--compared to a love where both sides reciprocate each other's feelings so the love is complete.]

I'm not 100% confident about my translation here, so any pointers about where I may have gone wrong are appreciated. Anyway, though, it seems your guess about the meaning of the idiom was correct--"like sticky rice steamed on only one side."

Your translation is what I would expect, but I can't make it say that, there is a question at the end too. I think it would be interesting to find out how the Thai mind works in repect of this syntax.

Thanks, Tgeezer, for your input. The part of the translation I wasn't entirely sure of was actually the bit to do with cooking sticky rice, since I've never actually done it myself or even seen it done up close--I was having trouble picturing the equipment and actions involved in all the "shaking" and "flipping".

I would maintain that กินได้แต่ไม่อร่อย means "edible but not tasting very good" rather than "barely edible", which I would say to be "แทบกินไม่ได้" (i.e. nearly inedible). Also, I don't think the ยังไงล่ะ at the end signifies a question; rather, it's saying something like "it's like that" and doesn't require a literal translation.

[tgeezer]

This last bit I can't understand; here is what I think it says;

ข้าวหวดนั้นกกินได้แต่ไม่อร่อย sticky rice which is barely edible

เปรียบเสมือนกับความรักที่คนสองคนมีความรู้สึกดี ๆ ให้กัน is partially similar or parallel (analogeous) to love in which two people have good feelings together.

ความรักถึงจะสมบูรณ์และหอมหวานยังไงล่ะครับ how can love become perfect?

This kind of rice is edible, but doesn't taste very good--compared to a love where both sides reciprocate each other's feelings so the love is complete.]

I'm not 100% confident about my translation here, so any pointers about where I may have gone wrong are appreciated. Anyway, though, it seems your guess about the meaning of the idiom was correct--"like sticky rice steamed on only one side."

Your translation is what I would expect, but I can't make it say that, there is a question at the end too. I think it would be interesting to find out how the Thai mind works in repect of this syntax.

Thanks, Tgeezer, for your input. The part of the translation I wasn't entirely sure of was actually the bit to do with cooking sticky rice, since I've never actually done it myself or even seen it done up close--I was having trouble picturing the equipment and actions involved in all the "shaking" and "flipping".

I would maintain that กินได้แต่ไม่อร่อย means "edible but not tasting very good" rather than "barely edible", which I would say to be "แทบกินไม่ได้" (i.e. nearly inedible). Also, I don't think the ยังไงล่ะ at the end signifies a question; rather, it's saying something like "it's like that" and doesn't require a literal translation.

The equipment if you are going to steam it is a pot with a steamer on top, our steamer (which I presume is หวด) is made of wood. Since it sits on top of the pot of water producing steam you can lift it and give it a shake. By the way, your translation has the rice at the top overdone when the text says it is the rice on the bottom.

I think of อะร่อย as 'tasty' and for me edible but not tasty is barely edible, but I hope that there is no need to split hairs on translation of that sort, I am interested in comprehension not translation as I hope are you.

The fact of a question; how or anyway, if not vital, doesn't change anything for me, unless you take issue with my translation which compares badly done steamed rice to a perfect love. Unless this is just crap prose which I would not expect from a poet, there must be a secret which I don't get. What does เปรียบสเมือน mean? I take it to mean analogeous.

If you would can you just tell me how the sentence works? :jap:

[mangkorn]

I'd say it's just a jocular, faux-elaborate idiom, perhaps akin to เรียบร้อยโรงเรียนจีน, where even Thai people tend to puzzle over why the idiom is said the way it is. The part tacked on either rhymes or alliterates with the main phrase, but has only a tenuous semantic connection. It mimics the rhyming / alliterative style of real idioms, but in a silly way.

รักเขาข้างเดียวข้าวเหนียวนึ่ง - เดียว and เหนียว rhyme, and the semantic connection seems to be with the one person stuck to the other like sticky rice.

That is compared to เรียบร้อยโรงเรียนจีน, where the ร sounds alliterate, with the apparent implication that Chinese schools are somehow tidy in an exemplary way. Another rather silly idiom.

Just a guess.

While it is true that most Thai people these days may puzzle over why เรียบร้อยโรงเรียนจีน is said the way that it is, and it's now taken to be a jocular, faux-elaborate (or even silly) idiom, it apparently does have an origin that was very contemporary in its relevance. To wit: down here in เยาวราช, some old-timers relate that it dates to the edict from the dictator แปลก พิบูลสงคราม outlawing the teaching of Chinese language. When the government inspectors would show up to see if the edict was being followed - which, of course, it wasn't - the owners and/or principals of the schools would bribe the officials to look the other way. When they returned to report back to the supervisors, those good government officials would duly inform them that เรียบร้อยโรงเรียนจีน ("Everything is in proper order at the Chinese school.")

According to some of the old Chinese in the neighbourhood, the idiom became a euphemism for bribing officials, in general.

Today, of course, it does not carry that meaning. But this is what is related by some people who were around when the phrase first entered the popular lexicon.

Cheers.

Edited February 17, 2011 by mangkorn

[tgeezer]

This last bit I can't understand; here is what I think it says;

ข้าวหวดนั้นกกินได้แต่ไม่อร่อย sticky rice which is barely edible

เปรียบเสมือนกับความรักที่คนสองคนมีความรู้สึกดี ๆ ให้กัน is partially similar or parallel (analogeous) to love in which two people have good feelings together.

ความรักถึงจะสมบูรณ์และหอมหวานยังไงล่ะครับ how can love become perfect?

This is an analogy of qualities; a badly prepared product with a badly excecuted love so สองคนมีความรู้สึกดี ๆ ให้กัน is the phrase which expands on love in this case, so I need to know what this means or implies which diminishes the quality of love.

Perhaps ความรักข้างเดียว is not one-sided in the sense of direction but in the sense of ความสมบูรณ์ , and the description รู้สึกดี ๆ ให้กัน is similarly incomplete love in the Thai language terms.

This has become awfully complicated for such a simple thing but the piece appears to make sense to all of you, so I am curious to know why.

Does anyone see my point?

[tgeezer]

While it is true that most Thai people these days may puzzle over why เรียบร้อยโรงเรียนจีน is said the way that it is, and it's now taken to be a jocular, faux-elaborate (or even silly) idiom, it apparently does have an origin that was very contemporary in its relevance. To wit: down here in เยาวราช, some old-timers relate that it dates to the edict from the dictator แปลก พิบูลสงคราม outlawing the teaching of Chinese language. When the government inspectors would show up to see if the edict was being followed - which, of course, it wasn't - the owners and/or principals of the schools would bribe the officials to look the other way. When they returned to report back to the supervisors, those good government officials would duly inform them that เรียบร้อยโรงเรียนจีน ("Everything is in proper order at the Chinese school.")

According to some of the old Chinese in the neighbourhood, the idiom became a euphemism for bribing officials, in general.

Today, of course, it does not carry that meaning. But this is what is related by some people who were around when the phrase first entered the popular lexicon.

Cheers.

Very good; the advantage of getting some local imput. What does it mean now? I should think it would be pretty useful just as it was.

[tgeezer]

Thanks, Tgeezer, for your input. The part of the translation I wasn't entirely sure of was actually the bit to do with cooking sticky rice, since I've never actually done it myself or even seen it done up close--I was having trouble picturing the equipment and actions involved in all the "shaking" and "flipping".

I would maintain that กินได้แต่ไม่อร่อย means "edible but not tasting very good" rather than "barely edible", which I would say to be "แทบกินไม่ได้" (i.e. nearly inedible). Also, I don't think the ยังไงล่ะ at the end signifies a question; rather, it's saying something like "it's like that" and doesn't require a literal translation.

Before I go to T-L I will bring this back to the top so that I can locate it easily.

สองคนมีความรู้สึกดี ๆ ให้กัน means two people who have a physical relationshi; I think that ความรักข้างเดียว means the physical side of love. So the last line of the explanation reads how can a physical relationship be complete and pleasing ล่ะ

Not forgetting my belief that เปรียบเสมือน means analogeous, the deafening silence of the forum I take as agreement, which inspires me to try to make sense of this piece of prose.

Reasons: สัมผัส น. การถูกต้องที่ให้เกิดความรู้สึก ความรู้สึก is the word I want to explain. รู้สึก ก. รู้ รู้ด้วยการสัมผัดเกิดสังหรณ์ขึ้นในใจ สังหรณ์ ก. รู้สึกมีอะไรมาดลใจ ดลใจ is a good feeling to do something?

Anyway that doesn't matter since only การถูกต้อง needs explaining; ถูก ก.= โดน= กระทบกระท้่ง collide?. ต้อง= ตรง So long-hand รู้สึก ก. รู้ด้วยการกระทบกระทั่งตรงที่เกิดรู้สึกมีอะไรมาดลใจ I won't go on, I have already got into a frightful mess with colours and trying to cut and paste without success, but I think the salient parts are here.

If you think that I am wrong, but you don't know how to explain it, I will be delighted to be told so that I can go back to the drawing board.

[a51mas]

tg. are you still working on the OP's รักเขาข้างเดืยวเหมือนข้าวเหนึยวนึ่ง, if you do, I don't think you can make sense out of it, because OP only gave you half of the sentences.

[tgeezer]

tg. are you still working on the OP's รักเขาข้างเดืยวเหมือนข้าวเหนึยวนึ่ง, if you do, I don't think you can make sense out of it, because OP only gave you half of the sentences.

I don't think you are up-to-date with the topic. I think what I am trying to do is clear, uncharacteristically for me, and is explained by two or three posts where I talk to myself.

I think that yesterday's post sums up pretty much what I am trying to do.

[violet]

tg. are you still working on the OP's รักเขาข้างเดืยวเหมือนข้าวเหนึยวนึ่ง, if you do, I don't think you can make sense out of it, because OP only gave you half of the sentences.

I don't think you are up-to-date with the topic. I think what I am trying to do is clear, uncharacteristically for me, and is explained by two or three posts where I talk to myself.

I think that yesterday's post sums up pretty much what I am trying to do.

By tgeezer

Well I had a chat over lunch today on the topic, รักเขาข้างเดียว ข้าวเหนียวนึ่ง and this one opinion was that รักข้างเดียว is one sided in the sense of unreciprocated and the ข้าวเหนียวนึ่ง meant sticky rice on its own no chicken veg or anything with it. It is not a modern saying but understandable in that form alone. However with poeple like us wanting explanations and doctorates from foreign universities proliferating, explanations have to be found, just as in English they can't be proved.

Rikker's idea that it simply rymes and there is a vague comparison is good enough for me.

Regarding the sentence which I am trying to parse with the verb เปรียบเสมือน, I am wondering whether it is worth doing. I am coming to the conclusion that the trick is to try to make whatever is said mean what the writer wants, where mere grammar is considered but doesn't govern, which I think Peppy has done succesfully. I read ...........หอมหวานได้อย่างไรล่ะ when ได้ was not written, so my translation is similar in that respect, but I pay too much attention to the verb, which led me into all sorts of convolutions to help me find hidden meaning where none existed.

Edited February 20, 2011 by violet